


What Possessed Him

by PaisleyWraith



Category: South Park
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-20
Updated: 2018-05-20
Packaged: 2019-05-08 11:01:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14692827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PaisleyWraith/pseuds/PaisleyWraith
Summary: Kenny’s in a limbo and needs a way to locate where his body might be. Luckily he finds it easy to contact Kyle and get control of his friend’s body. The problem is that when it comes to the universe, Kenny’s a ticking time bomb





	What Possessed Him

Kyle fell asleep early that night. His family out for two weeks, the whole house to himself. Clearly the only logical thing to do was lay on the couch for hours reading like an absolute Wildman and go to bed a reasonable hour. He planned on a laid back couple weeks planning for finals and hanging out with friends. He didn’t ask for the supernatural. Didn’t ask for any of this.

Kyle was lying in a field. No, a hillside. Green and grassy, long blades brushing his cheeks in the wind. The heavily scented flowers and warm sunlight were making him tired. He closed his eyes, seeing the sunlight red under his eyelids. Summer, without another living soul or even the sound of birds. Nothing but there wind and the gentle brush through strands of grass. He didn’t usually get such peaceful dreams. 

“Hey, man.” 

Kyle opened his eyes. Kenny stood above him, glowing pale and ethereal. 

Kyle slowly sat up, looking him over. 

“What’re you doing in my dreams?” He asked, annoyed, startled to notice Kenny looked almost breathtaking in the scene Kyle had conjured. 

Blond hair, sunny smile, sweet freckles. He moved to sit by Kyle, smiling down at him affectionately. 

“Nothing like I’d like to be doing, unfortunately,” Kenny waggled his eyebrows, ruining the picture. 

Kyle’s expression dissolved, and he moved to flop back on the ground. Asshole. 

“Go...poof somewhere, Kenny,” Kyle waved his hands in his direction. “Get out of my head.” 

Kenny caught one of Kyle’s hands, startling the boy. He felt so solid. Kenny rubbed his thumb against his wrist, making Kyle’s stomach flip. He couldn’t look away from Kenny’s eyes, glowing and soft. 

“Kenny,” His name escaped his lips in a breathless rush. 

Kenny’s expression turned...odd. He brought his hand up to his lips and kissed it, on the knuckles. 

“I need your help, Ky,” Kenny said softly, all seriousness. “I’m in trouble.” 

The grasses brushed Kyle’s cheeks, sunlight outlining the blond boy in front of him. 

He removed his hand, barely registering Kenny’s look of disappointment before he cupped his cool face with the same hand.

“Are you okay?” He asked, feeling the worry stir in his stomach like the wind through the grasses, even though he knew nothing would truly be at stake.

He felt Kenny exhale against his palm. Lips parted, pressed against his skin either by accident or on purpose. 

“Not really,” Kenny finally admitted, and that was definitely a purposeful kiss that time.

“What can I do?” Kyle asked, softly. In a dream, nothing was truly at stake, but he’d still want to help. 

Kenny’s smile twisted, wistfully. 

“It’s a lot to ask,” He said quietly. 

“Anything,” Kyle replied boldly. “What do you need?” 

—

Kenny opened his eyes. He blinked against the sunlight pouring in the window, reaching up to rub his eyes. 

He paused, taking a good look at his hand. Where he had longer palms than fingers, Kyle had slim artisan hands with long fingers. Almost pretty. That, and as Kenny moved his arm, every hair was bright red. He held his arm up to the light. How cool. His own hair was too pale to even register. 

He sat up, looking around the room. Immaculate, well-maintained room with lots of goodies, huge bed, television, and computer included. Even his blankets were nice, soft and comforting and calling Kenny back to them. 

Nope. 

He had no time to waste. Kenny hopped out of bed, stumbling slightly. Shit, he forgot Kyle was a bit shorter than him. You wouldn’t think that this would make too much of a difference, but yeah. It did. He righted himself, arms stretched for balance. 

He reached for the edge of the desk and walked more carefully, getting used to it. Kyle walked different, stepped differently on his feet and how long of a pace he took. It felt different. This was super weird and crazy and he couldn’t believe Kyle agreed to it. 

Or maybe he didn’t. He looked rather peaceful in his dreams, flirtatious and kind like a curly-haired god of the meadow, he’d nearly brought Kenny to his knees. He might not have fully realized what was happening. And he hated to think he might be freaking out now. 

“Look,” Kenny said to the empty room. “I don’t know if you can hear me. But it’s all going to be cool. I’ll find my body and get out of yours. I’ll try not to ruin your privacy. All’s cool, man.” 

All would be. Eventually. 

Kenny padded into the bathroom, knowing who he was at the moment and still jumping when he saw the reflection. 

Kyle stared back at him, with a startlingly different expression. Where normally he had a permanent, concentrates furrow to his brow, this Kyle had wider eyes and an almost innocent expression. 

It looked cuter on Kyle. 

Kenny leaned closer to the mirror. God, he never got this good a look at Kyle lately. Every flaw in his face, every slope of bone or cartilage. All of it pretty. He had just faint freckles and even his eyelashes were red. Kenny smiled crookedly, finding it weird to see Kyle smile too, and absently touched his face. 

His fingers skimmed over the skin, his cheek, his brow, the shape of his nose. His fingers pressed against his lips and his heart pounded. Kyle was touching his lips. Or he was touching Kyle’s, something like that. 

His lips weren’t even chapped or rough. Just soft, warm. Terribly kissable. He rubbed his index finger against his lower lip. Absently kissed the finger, eyes trained on the mirror. 

Whoa, now! 

Kenny shook himself, violently. Holy shit that was creepy! He was not going to be creepy. Kyle was helping him and this was mildly unconsensual and he shouldn’t be doing that. Kenny took a breath, trying not to get alarmed. 

Okay. So. He was kinda going to have to see Kyle naked, no big deal, he’d seen him naked in locker rooms since they were babies. Just don’t be weird about it like with his lips. Freak. 

Picking out clothes was fun. Kyle did own a lot of clothes, most he hadn’t seen him wear in a long time, all in a walk in closet he could skim through. Aww he still had all his old jerseys and stuff, like from middle and elementary school. That was adorable. Kenny cheerfully flipped through he hangars and picked a T-shirt and jeans that looked comfortable. 

Oh my god he had an ass. 

Holy shit, his booty looked great in this. Kenny was so flat-assed jeans just hung off him unless he wore a belt. Kyle had actual hips, and a butt, and thighs that made the jeans actually fit to him. The hard part was trying not to admire it. 

“But if you’re listening, you need to flaunt this,” Kenny spoke to nobody. “You could have the entire school crawling after you, do you realize? Brains, personality, and the best booty in school? I’m surprised you’re not beating the gals off with a stick.” 

Kenny absently smacked his own ass, realizing too late that this was highly inappropriate and terrible and hastily scooted downstairs. 

Huh. Weird to see this through Kyle’s eyes. He glanced around the living room, head tilted. This was so surreal. He was Kyle. This was his home, his family, his body. It was really unsettling and somehow, at the same time, weirdly comforting. This was his friend, after all, and something about Kyle’s body made him feel...safe. 

Was that weird? 

That was probably weird. 

He chewed his lips. Find his body. Go back. Let Kyle have his body all to himself again. 

It was incredible, for now he was Kyle. He never managed anything like this before. And for now he could feel things like Kyle, experience things like Kyle. 

He was hungry, come to think of it. Since he was technically taking care of Kyle, he could validate taking some food from the Broflovski home. 

Holy shit, a stocked kitchen. Granite countertops and knife blocks and the works. Kenny whistled cheerfully, skimming his fingers over the cool stone as he walked towards the fridge. 

“Oh fuck,” He realized a second later. “You’re diabetic!” 

Oh god, what did that entail? Kenny really started to panic. It had been so long since they had a sleepover or any other time he saw Kyle deal with that shit. He had to check his blood sugar in the morning, right? Maybe? 

Kenny darted upstairs to look for that pokey clicky thingy Kyle used. He did find it, but how did one use it? 

His gaze landed on Kyle’s smartphone and he scooped it up, swiping to unlock only to find it passcoded. 

“Goddamn it Kyle,” Kenny muttered. Oh. Wait. 

His fingerprint worked fine, and Kenny nearly dropped the phone. 

He and Kyle and Stan grinned back at him, the three boys much younger and Cartman obviously cut out of the picture. They had to be about eleven or so, arms around each other and beaming like nothing in the world could go wrong. 

Kenny’s throat constricted. 

He was in the middle, being hugged by both Stan and Kyle. His eyes peered at him from under his carefully-drawn up hood, back when he got nervous if his face was exposed to the dangers of the world. 

Kenny touched the phone, swallowing. 

Things were different now. Stan hung with a different crowd, one that understood him a little more, and Kyle mostly distanced himself from everyone. Stan had his parents squabble and his underage drinking to deal with, Kyle had a force of expectations and a stubborn sort of unhappiness that stuck around him. 

Neither boy said anything about any of this, of course, Kenny was just perceptive. 

“You’re such a sap, Ky,” Kenny said with all the affection in his heart as he opened his web browser. “I won’t look through your history, even if it is tempting. I’m trying to be respectful, man.” 

After a tangled mess of confusion (and holy shit diabetes sounded terrifying on the internet!) his research finally leading to food, Kenny found a pair of keys and locked the door behind him as he bounded out into the Colorado summer. 

Okay. So. If he couldn’t return to his body, it hadn’t been reborn. So he had to find it. He could feel it around, tethered to this town like a dead weight, but as to where? 

He had no clue. 

Kenny paused on Kyle’s front path, thinking. Where had he last died? 

Slowly his brows furrowed, darker than his own and actually visible on the top of his vision. 

He...didn’t remember. 

He didn’t remember where he died. There was this gap, this blank space anytime he tried to think of it. His head ached behind his eyes. He died, so how? Was he alone? What was he doing? 

Kenny was frozen. This was really scary, actually. He had no memory of what happened. Just that he couldn’t get back, or move on, and he’d reached, reached frantically and found Kyle’s entire being warm and receptive much to his surprise. 

Okay. Break it down. Problem number one is now Can’t Remember Shit. Kenny took a breath. But if he hadn’t truly passed, people should still remember, right? 

Kenny glanced at Stan’s house. He bolted towards the fence and vaulted over it. Or tried. 

See, if you don’t know how far you can reach or jump or anything, trying to leap over a four-foot fence is a pretty awful idea. 

Kenny crashed into it, bouncing off like a stuntman and rolling onto the ground. He groaned, cringing as he tried to take inventory on what was hurt. Fuck him, that was a terrible idea. 

“Are you even listening- KYLE!” Someone called, and Kenny sat up immediately. 

Stan was staring at him from the fence, watching him like he wasn’t quite sane. He was wearing the Clothes of Darkness, still, but no makeup. 

“What are you doing?” The boy asked, leaning on the fence. 

Oh god. He was Kyle. Kenny took a breath and shrugged, feeling suddenly entirely self conscious and jittery. 

“I thought I could jump it,” Kenny said easily, picking himself up with a wince. “You know, turns out I can’t.” 

Stan furrowed his brows. “Okay,” He said slowly, and Kenny offered a weak grin before realizing that was a him thing. Kyle smiled purposely, and didn’t like admitting failure. He was terrible at this. “Why were you trying to jump our fence?” 

Okay. Start over. “Kenny’s missing,” Kenny said, dusting his jeans off. “Do you know where anyone last saw him?” 

Stan’s weirded-out look did warm, but he still shook his head. “Nah. But Kenny just disappears, Kyle. He always turns back up.” 

So do you notice or not? Kenny still didn’t know the answer to that mystery. He sighed, rubbing his face and getting weirded out by the different features. 

“Look,” Stan seemed sympathetic, leaning over to Kyle’s side of the yard. “I get it, okay? I know it’s frustrating for you, I really do. But let Kenny do whatever he needs to. Sometimes people need space, Kyle. Don’t take this wrong, but you’re not always so good with that.” 

Kenny paused to take that in. “What are you-” He started, only to be interrupted. 

Dodgeball to the face was not exactly an expected interruption, but Kenny was used to those at this point. 

“What the fuck!” Stan was helping him up, having scaled the fence, and Kenny couldn’t feel the left side of his face. 

A slew of terrifying memories spilled into his mind, cars and bullets and meteors and everything else. A split second of realization, then the temporary bliss of painlessness. 

Kenny shook himself quickly. 

He looked for whatever 1990’s bullies were throwing dodgeballs at nerdy guys, probably wearing jean jackets and mullets, but all he saw was a slurry of young kids playing in the street and now looking terrified. 

“Sorry!” One squeaked, and Stan threw the ball in his direction. 

“Watch it!” Stan warned, before turning back to Kenny. “You okay, Kyle?” 

Kenny was frozen, pressing his hand against his cheek. What if. The universe hated him, he already knew that, what if it knew he was in Kyle’s body and tried to kick him off the planet regardless of what his soul was currently inhabiting? 

What if he killed Kyle? 

“I gotta find Kenny, Stan, thanks,” Kenny pat him on the shoulder and tore off down the street, towards the park and into town as Stan called after him exasperatedly. 

As he ran he realized Kyle had some good stamina, and he didn’t want to make a joke about it he felt so nauseous. 

He could get Kyle hurt. And he wouldn’t even be able to stop it. 

“Oh god, dude, I’m so sorry,” He whispered. He paused in the park, heart thudding. He messed this up so bad. He didn’t even think about Kyle getting hurt from this. He was an awful, horrible, selfish person. He sagged against a tree, feeling weak. There was literally no way to avoid it. He’d have to find his body, and fast, before anything could happen to him. 

“Hey, Kyle.” 

Kenny turned to see Bebe and Wendy, the latter looking a bit exasperated but still watching her friend as she approached Kenny. 

Kyle, as she approached Kyle. 

“Hello,” He said, because Kyle liked being pompous like that with people he didn’t know that well. Wait, how well did he know them? Wendy probably more, considering she dated Stan and was his rival for smartest in school but-

“How’s your summer going?” The blonde asked him, all kindness and genuinity, but Kenny was used to being hit on and saw it a mile away. 

Oh. Someone had a crush on a certain redhead. 

Oh god, he didn’t know how to play this. Once Kyle had his mind set on someone, he went after them. Wholeheartedly, with no reserve and it was cute as fuck. This was pretty blatant, the way she leaned into his space and spoke just to him, surely? He either didn’t know or wasn’t interested. So. Well. 

“Oh, it’s fine, I guess,” Kyle didn’t speak this passively, but Kenny wasn’t sure how to be direct and not rude. Not that Kyle cared much about being rude, of course. 

“You look overheated,” the girl mentioned with raised eyebrows, arms crossed as Wendy pretended not to be watching. “Are you alright?” 

“Yeah,” Stoooop, he couldn’t stop sounding like Kenny. “Just not used to it yet. And all the hair, of course,” He joked, running his hands through Kyle’s mass of curls. Stop. He sounded like a fucking moron stop. 

Bebe snorted, tugging at her own high ponytail. “I hear that. It’s awful, people have no idea what it’s like to have to live with curls in the summer.” 

Kenny scrambled for a response. She was going to figure it out. Be more Kyle. 

“Here, try this,” Bebe slipped a hair tie off her wrist and grabbed Kenny’s hand, slipping it onto his. “I like your hair this long. If you’re going to keep it, try keeping it off your neck, at least.” 

“Oh...thanks!” Yup. Blatant. Kenny wasn’t sure what to say, his stomach turned as he hastily tied up Kyle’s hair. Think of what to say. Kyle was oblivious anyway, he could totally put this off for now. Kyle’s goal oriented. Go with that. 

“I’m looking for Kenny,” He blurted, feeling his cheeks flush oddly. “Have you two seen him?” 

“Kenny?” Wendy said, confirming his suspicion that she’d been listening. “Not today. Why?” 

“I just... it’s kind of important I find him,” Kenny did actually feel nicer with his hair up. How Kyle lived like this he’d never know. “Soon.” 

Bebe looked a bit confused, glancing back at Wendy. “Something wrong?” 

Oh, dear, you had no idea. 

“No,” Kenny said casually. “I just have something important to tell him. Crucial.”

He realized those were the wrong words immediately. Bebe’s brows raised and Wendy looked like she’d solved the world’s most puzzling cipher. 

“ _Oh,_ ” She said, looking oddly satisfied. “Sorry, Kyle. I haven’t seen him at all today. Or yesterday.” 

Bebe sighed, but smiled, leaning against the tree Kyle had previously. “I think I saw him yesterday. Kinda over by Tweek’s, he and Karen were walking somewhere into town.” 

That’s right. He forgot about that. They’d been headed somewhere. He couldn’t remember...where...it was...

“Thanks, Bebe,” Kenny said gratefully. “Uh, I’m...” 

“It’s fine, Kyle,” The blonde lifted a shoulder prettily. “Good luck!” 

Okay. Time to run away. Sorry, Kyle, if you wanted a piece of that. 

“I’m just fucking it all up, aren’t I?” He muttered under his breath, jogging off towards the cafe. “You’re gonna kill me when this is all over.” He had to be careful Kyle didn’t end up being the one hurt. He had to find his body quickly. 

What would happen if he died in Kyle’s body? Ideally, nothing to Kyle. But if his body got damaged, something told him it would stick to his friend. He’d have to be very, very careful. 

“I’m trying, Kyle, I promise,” Kenny murmured. He didn’t think this through. 

He had reached out to Kyle’s mind and more or less found himself dragged in. Like Kyle wanted him there. He’d stumbled into the scene in his mind and Kyle had let him in easily. 

It was still a weird thing. Like for a moment, he knew what Kyle was feeling. That moment he looked at him, hiding his hand, Kenny still got chie because he swore he-

A car served, barely missing him, and Kenny froze up to stare after it. He’d looked before crossing. He swore he did. 

Slowly, Kenny finished crossing the road with his heart in his throat.

He flew through the doors of the coffee shop, waving vaguely at the Tweak Parents before ducking into the back room. He hung out with the kid a bit recently. Tweek understood some shit. His life kinda sucked sometimes. 

The boy was stocking and nearly jumped out of his skin when Kenny walked through the doors. 

“WhattheFUCK?” He asked, catching a box and heftily shoving it back into place. “What do you want?” 

You know, he was never going to get used to being in Kyle’s body. He just waltzed in like Kenny. He was a doofus. 

“Sorry,” Kenny said, lifting his hands harmlessly. “Kenny’s gone missing. Someone said you might’ve seen him yesterday?” 

Tweek’s shoulder twitched, but the guy half-sat on a nearby box to think. 

“He and Karen stopped by yesterday,” He mentioned. “When did he disappear?” 

“Today,” Kenny had no idea anymore. “What time?” 

Tweek shrugged, shoving his hands in his apron pockets. “Had to be before six.” 

Okay. That was...not overly helpful. How was he supposed to know where he went from there? Kenny winced. 

“Why didn’t Karen tell you?” Tweek asked, feet swinging just above the floor. “She’s looking too, right?” 

Kenny inhaled, slowly, trying to think of a plausible reason why Kyle wouldn’t ask Kenny’s sister where he was. 

Tweek looked annoyed. “Go ask Karen!” He said, hopping up and grabbing a broom. For a second Kenny thought he was going to whack him with it until he left the back room, but Tweek simply started sweeping. “She’ll want to help.” He thought he heard he word ‘moron’ muttered under his breath, but unlike Kyle, Kenny could let that go. 

“Kay,” He said sheepishly, not all Kyle-like, and Tweek gave him an odd look. “Sorry, man.” 

Tweek twitched oddly, eyes narrowed, and Kenny ducked out the door and back onto the street. 

Alright. So maybe he’d have to talk to Karen. The thought of talking to his sister while he was kinda-dead bothered him in ways he couldn’t explain. But he needed to find his body quick, just in case something happened. He didn’t have many choices at this point. 

Kenny trudged back towards his house, chewing his inner cheek. He stopped short suddenly, furrowing his brows. Wait. 

Like most of the populace, Kyle owned a cell phone. 

And Kyle worked with Karen on the school newspaper. Theoretically....

Kenny opened up Kyle’s phone, smiling at the three boys grinning back at him, and flipped through his contacts. Karen McCormick was there, her contact picture clearly taken from within the news office, his sister wearing a paper hat and pencil mustache. 

“Hey now,” Kenny jokingly spoke to himself. “I know she’s adorable but I gotta be suspicious of anyone with cute pictures of my sister. Watch it, Broflovski.” 

He sent a quick message, to the point and took care wording it nicely as Kyle would. 

**Kyle B: Need your help with something. If you’re around can you meet me by the park really quickly?**

The girls were gone, and Kenny scaled the monkey bars to sit at the top. Kyle wasn’t in terrible shape, he did it easily enough, yet he didn’t see the guy climb on much. 

“You just have no fun in life, man,” Kenny told him, still grinning at his sister’s picture. “So uptight all the time.” 

His phone blipped and he almost dropped it. 

**Karen M: Sure**

Alright. She’d be here to at least tell him where they were yesterday. Maybe. If she didn’t forget as well. 

Kenny exhaled, slowly. He might have to scour the entire town. Could he? Sure. But only if nothing realized the soul inside the red headed boy was something Wrong. 

Absently, he went to Kyle’s pictures, his thought process being to see more from the news room, realizing too late that this was kind of a breach of privacy. 

“Whoops!” Kenny laughed a bit nervously. “I won’t look through your nudes, Ky, don’t-”

He paused. Against what might be appropriate, he tapped open an album on his phone.

He didn’t just have one picture of the boys as kids. 

What looked like scanned photographs, Kyle had an entire folder of pictures from young childhood to probably freshman year, just all sorts of images of them as kids. 

Why this many? Kenny swung his legs as he scrolled through them. They didn’t even hang out much anymore. Why all this nostalgia? 

“You turning into an old man already?” Kenny asked softly, smiling. 

Actually, it was...nice to know Kyle hadn’t forgotten. That they all used to be close, inseparable. That maybe he was kinda sad about it too, just like Kenny. 

He missed these kids. Yeah, they were kind of selfish and stupid and Kyle was headstrong and a little naive. But they were his friends, had been almost since birth, a crucia part of his life at this point.

“Kyle!” Kenny caught himself before he took a tumble, seeing Karen striding into the playground. “All okay?” 

“Oh yeah, yeah,” Kenny jumped down, stumbling and actually falling to his knees. He stood up quickly. He was just not giving Kyle a good day today. “Everything’s fine.” 

Karen was watching him weirdly. “Are you okay?” She asked next, tome somewhere between concern and suspicion. 

“Been a rough day,” Kenny found it odd to see his sister through someone else’s eyes. She wasn’t as warm as she was with him, her tone more professional and clipped. “I need your help.” 

“With what?” His sister watched closely. 

“I’m looking for Kenny,” He explained. “Where did you two go yesterday?” 

Karen frowned. “Why?” She asked. 

“I...” Kenny had no idea how to word this. “I’m his friend, I just want to talk.” 

Karen’s expression was odd. Her eyes flit between his. 

Kenny stopped talking. The two stared at each other. 

“...Kenny?” Karen asked slowly, and Kenny’s breath left in a rush. 

“Karen,” He started, but his sister threw herself into his arms. 

His throat constricted. He hugged her tightly, bone-crushing and desperate. She knew. 

“How...” he began, but Karen pushed him away. 

“How? What about you!” Karen searched his face, as if looking for a glimpse of Kenny. “Kenny, what’s happening?” 

“Look, everything is okay,” Kenny assured her. “Something went kinda wrong. It happens sometimes. Kyle’s helping me. It’s okay.” 

“I don’t understand,” Karen looked more like the young girl she used to be than he’d seen in years. “Why are you Kyle? What happened?”

“I’m fixing it now,” Kenny promised. “I just got to find where my body is. It’s...unconscious. I need to get back.”

“Oh my god,” Karen whispered to herself. “We went grocery shopping yesterday, but that’s all I remember.” 

“That’s perfect, sis, it’s a start,” Kenny promised her. “But I need you to do something else for me.” 

“Of course, Kenny,” Karen was latched onto his arm like she was afraid to let him go. And unfortunately that was just what he needed. 

“I need you to go home,” Kenny said softly. 

“No,” His sister refused. “No way. I’m sticking with you until whatever this is, it’s all over.” 

He couldn’t let her. Not if something went wrong. 

“Karen,” Kenny saw her eyes welling up with angry tears and made a decision. Even if she wouldn’t remember. “I’ll explain everything to you. I promise. But right now, I need you to go home. For it to work, it has to be me and Kyle.” 

Karen was glaring at him, furious, fingernails digging into his arm. 

“You’re lying,” she accused, tears dripping down her face. 

“I’m not lying,” Kenny tried to reassure her, but Karen grit her teeth. 

“I could tell who you were in someone else _body_ , Kenny, don’t bullshit me!” 

Kenny took a shaky breath. 

“You lie or hide things all the time and I’m tired of it!” Karen snapped at him. “No one makes you a martyr, Kenny! You don’t have to keep secrets from everybody. Especially me,” She angrily wiped her face. “Stop keeping things from me!” 

Kenny broke. He grabbed her in for another hug, blurred vision turning to real tears. It had been a while since he cried. Karen hugged him back fiercely, his little sister gripping him like he might disappear. 

“It really does have to be me,” He told her, voice slightly cracked. It sounded odd in Kyle’s tone. “But I’ll come home. And we’ll go for a walk, okay, and I’ll tell you everything. Everything, I promise.” 

Karen still looked like she didn’t believe him. That hurt. He exhaled, softly, and she finally let him go. 

“I want to hear everything,” She demanded, eyes red and furious. “Don’t you forget, Kenny. I’ll kick your ass.” 

He huffed a soft laugh, heart squeezing. “I’ll be back soon,” he promised, and turned around before he had to take another look at her sad face. He’d cut through the park and check the grocer. If he could stop wanting to weep all over the place. 

“God, man, I’m gonna cry,” He sniffled, wiping his eyes on his T-shirt. “Fuck. It’s not that I mean to- it’s-“ 

No one could ever really understand. Not if he had a million years to explain it. 

“Holy shit, dude,” 

Kenny jumped as Stan leaned over the back of his fence, his new puppy trying to wrestle a rope toy out of his hands. The boy was wearing his eyeliner now and looked horrified. 

“Are you crying?” Stan asked, soft brown eyes hurt. 

“No!” At least that sounded like Kyle, and Kenny hastily rubbed his face. “I’m not, thank you Stan!” 

“Look, don’t pull that bullshit with me,” The boy ordered, and Kenny was struck by the similarity between this and Karen’s words with him. “Wendy said you were looking for Kenny. I didn’t know you were going to- did he really say no?” 

Kenny’s mind was drawing a blank, so he shrugged, trying to look like an innocent cherub. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he promised, and Stan looked disgusted. 

“I just said don’t, Kyle,” He snapped, looking around quickly before glaring back at him. “Hey. Kenny let you down easy at least, right? You gotta be overthinking it. He likes you, dude. Seriously. I thought Ken was super into you, personally-”

Aaaaand that’s when Kenny’s mind just about shut down. 

“WHAT?!” Kyle’s voice didn’t squeak like Kenny’s but was louder and made Stan jump. “Are you crazy?! I didn’t tell- I’m not-”

Stan’s sympathy evaporated. “You didn’t even tell him yet?!” His dog finally got the prized toy as Stan threw his hands up in the air. “What the hell are you crying for?!” 

“I’m not crying!” Kenny’s heart thudded against his chest. “And I’m not in love with Kenny!” With that, he turned and ran like a mature adult. 

“Liar!” Stan shouted after him. “Get back here and stop being such a douchebag!” 

Kenny didn’t stop running until he had to wait for a crosswalk. He panted on the sidewalk and ignored the weird looks he was getting. 

“You do not love me,” He whispered. “There’s no way.” 

Yet Stan was convinced he went and confessed, the girls weren’t even surprised, even Karen had been suspicious about his intentions. And yeah, maybe that had other logical explanations but what if—

“Do you love me?” Kenny found himself asking. As if Kyle’s mind or body would give him the answers. And that sounded super creepy and he felt bad for even saying it. 

The old lady next to him was definitely suspecting he was crazy now, and Kenny hastily jogged towards the grocery store. Maybe he’d be passed out in a bin of apples or something. 

He welcomed the cool air conditioning and tried not to think. Unfortunately, that usually only makes you think more. He was going to come clean to Karen. Kyle might like him. And he’d liked Kyle for ages so, hey. That would be...kind of super. He could really dig being his boyfriend. 

If Kyle didn’t kill him after today, that was. 

“I’m sorry,” Kenny whispered as he ducked through the aisles. “I should’ve let you say something if it’s true, shouldn’t I? This sucks, huh?” 

Well. He wasn’t being sold as a slab of meat or strung up as a display. So. 

Kenny paused in front of the spices, trying to look like he was pondering a purchase and not in despair. 

Kyle might like him, Karen wanted answers, and Kenny didn’t know where to go. 

“I just can’t remember,” Kenny whispered. “Is this what it’s like? Just a gaping hole, every time I die?”

Like not only did the world try to erase him, it tried to erase his memory in others as well. 

“Look out!” 

Someone shouted and turns out Kyle was a fast fucker. Kenny was out of the way as three aisles crashed like dominos, uprooting physics as people screamed. 

Kenny backed away from the scene, watching crushed boxes of salt and various spices flowed free all over the ground. People were running around, checking for injuries, and he had the distinct feeling that was meant for him. 

Or, currently, Kyle. 

“Dude, we gotta get you back,” Kenny breathed. “I’m not letting you get hurt.”

He ducked through the warehouse, trying to avoid questioning. They couldn’t afford detours. 

He sent wary looks towards all the machinery, feeling jittery. Don’t hurt Kyle. Just don’t hurt Kyle. 

Sometimes he wished he knew what being to curse for this existence. Mostly he thought maybe he was better off not knowing. 

But if Kyle got hurt, in any way, he’d change his mind real quick. 

Whatever it was better hope Kyle remained unharmed.

Kenny jumped out the warehouse opening for trucks onto the street, and froze. 

His body was hanging in the dumpster, limp and forgotten with bags of trash surrounding him. 

Kenny slowly approached, quiet. His hair was limp and hung in front of his face. His arms were discolored from bruising and cuts and he was motionless. Dead. In a dumpster. To be thrown out with the evening garbage. 

He stood there a moment, staring. 

“What a symbol, right?” Kenny whispered weakly. “No one really cares, you know? Least I found me.” 

He took another step forward, feeling chills. He looked like a wreck. How many people must have passed by his body, wrinkling their noses and tossing his motionless form into a dumpster. 

If he wasn’t in Kyle’s head, he would’ve walked by too.

Kenny reached for his body and recoiled. It was warm. 

So he was still alive. 

“Thought so,” he breathed, using a fireman carry to pick himself up and place him on the ground. “I’m not dead yet.” 

Made sense. His soul was like...in limbo or something. Without a vessel or true conscious. This was weird and freaky and he absolutely did not like it.

He paused, staring at his own face. Limp, expressionless. Like he was asleep. He brushed his fingers through his own hair. The forgotten kid. 

“Well.” He achieved his goal. Yippee. Kenny didn’t like looking at it anymore. “Guess now all I have to do is die, right?” 

He stood, staring down at the body. He looked around, shuffling through some of the garbage. 

“This is almost over,” his heart was racing, always anticipating the end. “I’m sorry for this shit, man. We’ll get this figured out.” 

There. Some kind of wooden object had been broke down, a table maybe, the slats were heavy and had bolts and nails on half on it. Kenny carefully picked it up. 

He turned around. This was going to be weird. 

“Don’t worry, you’re not gonna get arrested,” Kenny was nervous now, chattering. “They’ll forget. You’ll-”

Oh. 

Kenny set the bar against the dumpster for a second, typing a quick message on the phone.

Just in case. 

There were some things Kenny didn’t like to guess on. This would be one, only he was fairly certain he wasn’t guessing. And that feeling back in Kyle’s mind...

Kenny savored that thought. Focused on it. And then he picked up the bar again and took a breath.

He slammed the bar against his own face. It dented in, and Kenny felt nauseous. 

He had to kill himself quick, before someone saw Kyle Broflovski attempting murder. 

He slammed the wood back against his head. Again. Again. Again. 

Again.

His body kept breathing. 

“Why now?!” He snarled, panic blooming in his chest. “Why now? Not on date nights, not during camp outs, not before Karen’s graduation to high school? Now?! Fucking now?!” 

He slammed the wood against his head and it started to splinter. He brought it down against with force, head cracking. He could see red, and white, and still he kept breathing. 

Stubborn, refusing to die, unlike any time he ever prayed to stay alive. 

His stupid curse. Isolating and demeaning and never giving him a chance, and then mocking him like this when he couldn’t get himself to die. As if his body were better off without his soul tied to it.

Kenny brought down the weapon again and stumbled forward. 

Straight into a thrown fist. 

His lip split, he tasted blood, and stumbled back until he hit the ground. Someone stepped on his chest, and Kenny looked up to see Kyle grab two handfuls of his shirt. 

“What are you doing?!” His voice was a roar, enraged as Kenny tries to catch his breath again. “What the fuck are you doing?!” 

He was back in Kyle’s mind. Instead of a lovely little meadow, it was some kind of room, built like a box, and black. Small enough that if he pushed Kyle off, he’d hit the opposing wall. 

“What the fuck?” He finally managed, and Kyle got off his chest to literally drag him to his feet, supporting his weight on pure rage at one point. 

“Did you just kill yourself?” Kyle snapped, shaking him. “Did you just make me kill you?!” 

Oh. Shit. 

“I come back!” Kenny quickly protested. “It’s temporary!” 

“And that makes it alright?!” Kyle seethed. “That makes it fine?” 

Kenny stumbled for a response, but something jolted in his mind. 

“You saw that?” He blurted, and Kyle shook him again, violently. 

“Of course I saw it, its my body!” Kyle snapped. “I had...had to watch...what the absolute fuck is wrong with you?” 

Oh god. The dumb conversations. The ass slap. His death. Maybe he’d be lucky and not come back this time. 

“Oops,” Kenny said, and Kyle looked like he might hit him again. 

“You asshole,” He was seething still, looking ready to kill the kid a second time. “You selfish little bastard...” 

Oh. 

He’d scared Kyle. 

“I come back,” Kenny’s tone was gentle instead of nonchalant. “I’ll be back. Okay? I’m sorry you had to watch.” 

Kyle was breathing heavily. His eyes burned into Kenny. 

“How many times have you done that and I don’t know about?” He demanded. 

Kenny made a split decision. 

“I can’t count,” He admitted. “A lot.” 

“How long has it been happening?” 

Kenny was going to go along with the questions for now, but he didn’t like them at all. 

“All my life, don’t know how, you can’t stop it, this certain situation never happened before,” Kenny rattled off. “Alright? End of the story is I don’t know.” 

Kyle exhaled. Looked furious. And grabbed Kenny for a hug, crushing and angry. 

“Fuck you,” He said, squeezing him a little tighter. 

Kenny hugged him back, leaning against him. Kyle supported his weight, steady and strong. 

He breathed the boy in. Relaxed. His eyes drifted around the container, realizing this was what Kyle felt. Trapped in darkness and angry, affectionate and enraged and worried. 

He needed to go. He didn’t know how his hanging around would effect Kyle’s mind.

“Ky,” Kenny’s annoying nickname sounded sweeter after all the rage. “I think you’re keeping me here.” 

“What?” Kyle asked, leaning back to glare at the boy. 

“Let me go,” 

Kenny could feel himself tethered. The draw that pulled him in the first place was now resolutely refusing to let him go. Angry and protective. He kinda liked the weird feeling, pulling at his chest like an anchor to the ground. 

“I can’t guarantee you’ll be back,” Kyle at least had stopped shouting, but he still sounded pissed. 

“Can’t guarantee much in life,” Kenny said easily, but thought better of it when Kyle narrowed his eyes. “Alright. I don’t know. But I have something for you, if you didn’t notice what I wrote.” 

“Wrote where?” Kyle snapped. “I remember you killing yourself, and that’s mostly-”

“Trust me,” Kenny rested his hands on his shoulders, liking how comfortable it was. Kyle’s hands were at his waist and it just kinda fit. He felt himself relax for the first time. “I’ll come back for you.” 

Kyle’s eyes seemed to flicker. 

“Come see me immediately,” he ordered. 

“I have to talk to Karen first,” The blond disagreed. 

“After, then,” Kyle flushed. “Soon as you can. I don’t care what time it is.” 

The infuriated grip on his soul was slipping. Kenny exhaled. 

“I’ll be right back,” he promised, and Kyle sighed as his hands fell away from his waist. 

—————

Kyle,

Hey! On the off chance I don’t come back or I don’t remember or something I wanted to leave you something. 

Look, I don’t know how much you’ll remember when you’re actually back in your body, but I kinda borrowed your conscious for a bit and took your persona for a spin. I’m going to be entirely serious when I said I was respectful. I don’t know how much of the teasing is real and how much is just joking, but I’m not a creep. You’re safe with me. Always. 

I want you to know that I didn’t poke around for anything. I didn’t flip through your browsing history or even turn on your computer. If you keep a diary, that’s safe too. Nah, someone said something to me on the street. Kinda raised some suspicions or whatever. So imma take a chance here and I want you to know something. Something I totally mean. 

I love you. And I mean that in two ways. Like just in case it wasn’t meant like that, I love you as my friend first. But also in a not-plantonic kinda way. I’m only half kidding most of the time and let’s leave it like that. 

Everything is okay. Either way. I want you to know you don’t have to worry. Either we never talk about it again or next time you see me, I’m gonna be your boyfriend. If you don’t understand the body-borrowing part of this, at least know this. I’m good with whatever you choose. 

With both platonic and very not-platonic love, 

❤️Kenny❤️

—————

Karen remembered. 

She was in tears by the time they finished, and so was Kenny. The two siblings cried, clinging to each other, and Kenny apologized repeatedly. 

It wasn’t fair. Karen had said this over and over. It’s not fair. 

No, it wasn’t. 

It was around four in the morning when they had calmed down enough to go about their night. Karen went to bed, hugging him a little longer than normal. She knew, now. Kenny wasn’t sure why this worked or how she knew or what was happening. But he hoped this was all for the better. 

He slipped outside. Kyle had been furious and he did kinda owe him for being hosted in his body. If he meant any hour, Kenny would take it. 

He scaled up to Kyle’s window, perching on the sill to wait. The boy swore, audible through the glass, and Kenny slipped in easily the moment he had the window up. 

“You bastard!” Kyle looked about ready to hit him again. “You did come back!” 

So he remembered, too. Kenny took a breath. 

“Yep,” He said, not feeling up for a second bitching out. “Karen’s already yelled at me, if that makes you feel better.” 

“Slightly,” Kyle said. “Maybe I’ll talk with her and we’ll yell at you together before it’s theough.” 

Kenny snorted, softly, and Kyle opened his arms. Kenny looked surprised, having expected more rage. Kyle’s face looked red, and yet the boy didn’t move. 

Kenny slipped into another hug, one gentler but no less comfortable. Kyle was definitely more tired this time, however, in pajamas and leaning on Kenny more than anything. 

“So,” He wasn’t sure how to start. “Sorry for that all. I don’t make a very good you.” 

“That’s fine,” Kyle sounded annoyed. 

“And sounding dumb in front of our friends.” 

“I don’t care, Ken-”

“And sorry for smacking your ass.” 

“Look, I trust you and you didn’t do anything too weird, okay?” Kyle growled, squeezing him. “It was a weird situation as it was. I’m upset about...just you.” 

Ouch. “Me?” Was it the note on his phone, or-

“You,” The redhead tried to explain in frustration. “Dying, hurt, killing yourself, you! I’m upset you were suffering and treating it like nothing!” 

Kenny’s heart melted, and he pulled away from Kyle. 

“I’m okay,” He promised. Kyle raised an eyebrow. “Considering everything. Don’t let it tear you up.” 

Kyle looked like he was biting his tongue. The fact he was even trying not to blow up at Kenny was a little sweet. But Kenny was pretty good at distraction. 

“You have pictures in your phone of us,” he mentioned, and as expected Kyle refused to accept how cute he was. 

“So?” He fumed, arms crossed as he stepped back. “Lots of people have their friends’ pictures in their phone, Kenny. That’s not remarkable.” 

Well yeah, duh, but that wasn’t what he meant. Kenny tried something else. 

“Come on, I missed you guys,” He said, and immediately regretted it when Kyle drew back. In trying to prod Kyle into revealing a few things, he might’ve revealed a bit too much himself. 

He opened his mouth to add a joking comment after the line, only Kyle was watching him oddly. 

Sideways, curious eyes trying to dissect him. Eyes that were brownish-green, and now he knew stood among freckles he adamantly denied he had. 

“I miss you assholes, too,” Kyle finally said quietly. “South Park isn’t the same without having to drag ourselves out of fires together.” 

“Nah, it’s not,” Kenny agreed, his own tone subdued. Everything was quiet. Every question and shaky standing stood directly between them, and Kenny wasn’t sure how to bridge that gap.

“I want to hear about everything I forgot,” Kyle suddenly said grimly, expression serious. He sought out Kenny’s eyes, firm and certain. “Everything.” 

Kenny took a shaky breath, reaching up to cup his face. Passionate, sweet boy. Stupid, but he cared so much. It melted his heart. 

“Okay,” Kenny promised. He felt like maybe he’d be crying if he hadn’t already cried his eyes out earlier. Used up his quota for the year, probably. “Does it have to be tonight?” 

The Jewish boy pressed his lips together tightly.

“No,” Kyle said, voice finally softening back to gentle. “But tomorrow?” 

Kenny smiled. “I can come back tomorrow,” He promised. 

Kyle took a breath, deep and prolonged, one you took before diving underwater. Inhaling as much courage as oxygen. “Why don’t you just stay here?” 

“Here?” Kenny hadn’t even meant to say that out loud. 

“Yes, here,” Kyle was flushed again. “Can you hear alright?” 

Aw. He was embarrassed. Kenny would push him if he didn’t want to ruin his chances. 

“Cool,” He said, feeling weirdly jittery. “Am I- is the couch fine, or-”

“Just take your shoes off,” Kyle told him, moving back to sit on his bed. “It’s not like we’ve never had a sleepover before.” 

Holy shit. 

“Yeah, but it’s been a while,” Oh god, why was this making him nervous? He laughed, slightly. “Uh- did you- see the note I left on your phone?” 

“Yes,” Kyle said, clipped. 

Oh. His heart sank. Goddamn it Stan. He thought he figured something out here. 

“That was the other thing I was going to wait for tomorrow about,” Kyle mentioned. 

Kenny licked his lips. 

“Does it have to wait?” He asked, feeling stupid. “It’s a yes or no question.”

“The answer is yes, then,” Kyle said quickly, flushing. 

Kenny paused. “Wait, yes to what?”

“You’re the one who said it was a-” Kyle sighed. Then he snorted, standing up. “Forget it. Come here.” 

The direction was direct but also said gently, which made him smile entirely involuntarily. So that’s a thing for him, apparently? 

Kyle’s rage mostly tiring itself out, he looked a little more relaxed. His hair looked auburn in the dark light, eyes still fierce but warm instead of angry. He looked much more relaxed. More like that boy in the meadow. Kenny licked his lips again and Kyle’s eyes tracked the motion. 

Making up his mind, the boy cupped his face, leaning in for a kiss. Kenny met him, gladly, for a brief but warm kiss that melted him. Full of softness and determination, real affection and gladness. Kyle was smiling, thumbs stroking his cheeks as he pressed another soft kiss onto his lips. 

He moved back, smile confident and so, so full of affection. Raw, uncontained love, which was so clear it was nearly tangible. Watching Kenny like he was something magnificent. Important.

Kenny temporarily lost his ability to speak. And when he regained it, he spoke dumbly. 

“Shoot, I’m back in heaven after all,” He joked, watching Kyle turn a brilliant red. 

“Just get some sleep,” Kyle didn’t exactly sound displeased. He swore he saw a smile as he lightly shoved him away. Kenny watched as he flopped down on the bed, carefully crawling into the queen sized bed along with him. 

He was brought back to previous days, previous summers, giggling into the night as Kyle told them all to fuck off before his mom heard and snickering regardless. Dumb, stupid, silly kid things that he missed. The ease of it. The certainty.

Both of them were quiet. Kenny wondered if Kyle was freaking out inwardly as much as he was. He was snuggled in Kyle’s bed, the boy next to him curled up with several blankets. 

It felt so surreal. Like he might still be in Kyle’s mind.

“Hey.” 

Kenny looked over. Kyle’s jaw was clenched but he had his hand outstretched. 

Kenny took it, and Kyle settled back down. 

“Night,” He said, quietly. “Don’t forget. You’re telling me everything tomorrow.” There was a moments pause. “Please.” 

Kenny squeezed his hand, shifting to lie on his side. At last. “Yeah,” He said, feeling this might all actually have been worth it. “We’ll talk tomorrow, Ky.”

The boy smiled faintly, he could see that in the dark. The boy ran his thumb over his hand, and they drifted off before long.


End file.
